Province Drops Costco Demand Notice

Friday, February 03, 2006 09:05 AM

Go ahead, take your Costco card on a shopping spree in Alberta, the Province of B.C. has given up it's plan to hound Costco for information on who, from where, bought what, in their store in an effort to pick up the provincial tax you didn't pay in Alberta.

The B.C. Government has withdrawn a demand notice seeking information on out-of-province retail purchases by British Columbians from Costco Wholesale Canada, Rick Thorpe, Minister of Small Business and Revenue, announced today. The announcement follows a review of the ministry’s cross-border sales tax audit and compliance initiatives.

“The ministry is guided by the principles of the Taxpayer Fairness and Service Code, and is committed to ensuring we have the highest levels of protection for personal information at all times,” said Thorpe. “Accordingly, I am pleased to advise the demand notice has been cancelled. In addition, I will be seeking changes so the accountability for issuing demand notices will rest with the minister – as it does in other Canadian jurisdictions.”

Thorpe also announced that the ministry will develop a comprehensive public awareness action plan to educate British Columbians about tax obligations.

The ministry will also continue to work with small businesses and border community leaders to ensure government is aware of the issues in the region and pursue the goal of growing local economies throughout British Columbia.

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Posted on Friday, February 03, 2006 09:05 AM in News by 250 News

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Comments

Posted by: camoose on February 3 2006 10:18 AM

Squandering our tax money for a an awarness campaign about tax obligations won't work on me. I will shop where I can save the most money, Since my income has been "Downsized", every penny counts. If the government wasn't so hell bent on wringing every last penny it can out of it's citizens and abolish or lower it'e taxes maybe more of us would shop in BC. Guess we all have to pay for the Olympics and the road plans for the Lower Rainland. I wonder if the ICBC rate increases will allow the government to loot it's account to help pay for the Olympics. Just a thought as it has been done in the past with crown corps. (BCR)

Posted by: fedup on February 3 2006 3:14 PM

Cosco fought back is all that really happened here if it was a smaller company without the budget for lawyers we would have seen a very different outcome I am sure.

Posted by: Palopu on February 4 2006 3:17 PM

Costco sure had a lot to do with it, however I am sure that they got a lot of letters from ordinary citizens telling them to get their noses out of our Private affairs. I for one sent them a stinging letter, and hopefully others are doing the same. It certainly got their attention when they voted themselves a raise and Im sure it got their attention this time. The Minister responsible for this fiasco should be fired.

Posted by: Percy on February 4 2006 5:36 PM

The gaul, the audacity of those no good for nothing neocheats in government who continue to erode our rights. I would love to put a face to the actual people responsible for such a pathetic excuse at wasting my tax dollars.

As if we need to be educated about our tax obligations. Ha Small Business Minister Thorpe must be running out of productive things to do. Bless them and their devious minds. Percy

Posted by: diplomat on February 4 2006 9:27 PM

Needless to say the effort to collect B.C. sales tax from B.C. residents who went shopping in Alberta was NOT accompanied by an announcement that equal efforts would be made by Thorpe's investigators to track down non-B.C. Alberta shoppers who paid our sales tax HERE while visiting/shopping and who should have it refunded to them in Alberta!

The whole thing was just another embarrassment to those who are already fedup by the Don Quixote like antics of our politicians.

The antics road show!

How about concentrating on the more important issues that need immediate attention?